


The Play

by Sabina7



Category: Game of Thrones (TV), Game of Thrones RPF
Genre: #RPF #Play, F/M, Reunions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-25
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:22:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24919048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sabina7/pseuds/Sabina7
Summary: Gwendoline: “I think I’m losing my mind, I thought I saw Nikolaj in the audience”.Nikolaj: "I am so proud of you!”
Relationships: Gwendoline Christie & Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Gwendoline Christie/Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Gwennik - Relationship
Kudos: 13





	The Play

**Author's Note:**

> This is inspired by "A Midsummer Night's Dream" starring Gwendoline Christie. This evening National Theatre Live premiered the recording of Gwen’s play. It is a "funtastic" play.  
> If you haven’t seen it, have a look on National Theatre Youtube page https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Punzss5sHto  
> I don’t know why I kept scanning the crowd for Nikolaj so I allowed my imagination to run riot!! Haha!
> 
> I tried to not give too much away so I don't spoil the play for the ones who will go on to watch it.
> 
> Enjoy!

Nikolaj was stepping out of the shower when his phone rang. He nearly slipped while rushing to grab a towel and wrap it around himself. He didn’t even have to check the caller ID, he knew who it was, he was expecting this call.  


“You must be joking!!!”, he heard Gwendoline’s voice screaming on the other end of the call.  
Nikolaj is trying to say Gwe…. Gwe….G…. but can’t even finish because Gwendoline continues in a mocking voice: “I am proud of you! “What’s wrong with you? Do you always have to take credit for everything I do? This has nothing to do with you Nikolaj!”  
Nikolaj waits for a few seconds and then says “Are you done? Did you let it all out? Can I talk now?”  
“The flowers are lovely, thank you Nikolaj” Gwendoline says in a friendly voice while looking at the huge bouquet of summer flowers. She’s flipping the card with the message " I am so proud of you! Nx” between her fingers.  
“Just for the record, I am very proud of you Gwendoline, I truly am. It has been amazing to watch you grow.”  
“I don’t see why you take credit for it though!”  
“You said it yourself that you have learned a lot from me!”  
“It was one interview, Nikolaj, one! I should have known better that you would haunt me for it for the rest of my life”  
Nikolaj snorts. “Even if you didn’t say that I would have found something else to haunt you for!”  
“I actually do believe that”, Gwendoline says and starts laughing.  


Nikolaj puts the phone on speaker and starts shaving.  
“So big night tonight, huh?”  
“Yeah, They’re filming the play this evening. I’m so excited! I’m like a Duracell bunny on steroids!”  
“Was that tonight? Ouch!”, Nikolaj cries out.  
“What are you doing?” Gwendoline asks with her motherly voice.  
“Shaving and I nearly cut myself with the razor” Nikolaj replies with a guilty voice.  
“That serves you right. You know men can’t multitask. That is a fact!” Gwendoline says in her most serious voice. “Why on earth are you shaving while talking to me?”  
“Well, why did you call me when I was shaving?” Nikolaj answers in a heartbeat.  
“That is a fair point. Carry on”  
“Thank you, My Lady”  
“You were meant to say Ser Gwendoline Christie” Gwendoline adds in a scolding tone.  
“Ok, I give up! I have to stop before I leave any scars on my money maker” Nikolaj says in a sarcastic tone.  
It’s Gwendoline’s turn to burst into laughter.  


“Well, Ser Gwendoline Christie, I wish I was there with you this evening! I am so sorry I haven’t seen your play yet.”  
“It’s your loss Nikolaj, you know that!”  
“I know, I know, I’ll try my best to come over to see it soon. I just wish I could see you tonight when they are filming it.”  
“It’s going to be fantastic! I’m getting the best of both worlds! Gwendoline says with a squeal. I have to go now. I need to do my hair and makeup.”  
“Good luck Gwen! Hope your evening is full of pleasant surprises! Have fun!” Nikolaj says with a big smile on his face.  
“Thank you darling, talk to you soon!” Gwendoline replies.  
“Gwen? … Hmmm, I miss you! I…. I even miss arguing with you!” Nikolaj adds.  
“I miss you too! I really have to go, This fishtail plait won’t get done by magic! Mwah!”  
“Fish what????”  
“Byeeeee Niiiiiiiik” Gwendoline hangs up.  
Nikolaj lets out a sigh and picks up his razor again. When he’s happy with his shave he gets dressed in a white Tshirt and jeans. After splashing some cologne (the one that Gwendoline likes) he opens his Uber App and orders a taxi for the Bridge Theatre with an even bigger smile on his face.

Nikolaj gets into the taxi but the traffic was better than expected and gets to the theatre too early so he asks the driver to do a few extra loops to pass the time. There are too many people waiting outside and he wants to keep a low profile. He plans to enter last to reduce the chances of being seen and recognised. That’s why he shaved and went for a casual look. He has been wearing a beard for a while and is now hoping people will not recognise him shaved. He is so excited, he can’t keep still. He hasn’t seen Gwen since the interviews and he can’t wait to see her. As soon as the crowds go in, he lets the taxi go and enters the theatre himself.  
“Welcome sir. I see you have a standing ticket. Congratulations, that is the best choice! You’ll be part of the immersive experience! There will be a small debrief before the start of the play.” the usher explains with a big smile on her face. She seems to have recognised him but she doesn’t say anything.  
“That is very professional of her” Nikolaj thinks to himself and enters the hall. He looks around for the location of the cameras and finds a place from where he can see the stage but keep away from the cameras as well. The stage manager comes in and explains the process and that there are several moving stages and that the cast will walk past them so they have to pay attention to the crew and make space when told. Nikolaj keeps at the back of the group and only part listens to the explanations. He can’t focus. His heart is beating too fast. He is picturing Gwendoline getting ready in her changing room. He can picture her in front of her mirror, putting her lipstick on, smiling at her reflection and smelling the flowers he sent her. He takes a deep breath in trying to slow down his heart rate. 

The play starts. Gwendoline is the first on stage. “She looks nervous”, Nikolaj thinks to himself. He has seen her at her best and her worst for so many years, he can take any cue from her. He knows when she’s upset, when she’s angry, when she’s happy, when she needs a drink, when she needs chocolate, when she needs to sleep, when she needs a pep talk. He knows her just as well as he knows himself. “I wonder if she got suspicious when I sent her the flowers.”  
The other actors are saying their lines but Nikolaj is not listening, he keeps looking at Gwendoline. “Oh, I missed her! It’s funny this type of plain outfit reminds me of Brienne.”Nikolaj continues reminiscing the first years of working with Gwendoline. He can see the first time they met in that makeup trailer, the first dress rehearsal, their swordfight rehearsals, the fight on the bridge. Oh, the bath scene, that bear scene she loved so much. Their goodbyes and exchanges of looks, Oathkeeper and their final season and that heartbreak. His brain ran through 8 years of memories at full speed and he was flooded by emotions. His heart starts beating fast again. He can’t wait for her to notice him in the audience.  
“Oh, My Lady is back. She’s so beautiful in this green satin dress! Giles did a great job on this one. Some of his creations are a bit too futuristic for my taste but this one is wonderful and it suits Gwendoline very well.”  
“OMG! She’s up in the air now! She will see me now! I guess this time is as good as any!” Nikolaj takes a deep breath in and smiles at Gwendoline who is up in an aerial rig. 

Gwendoline is overlooking the rest of the cast from her rig. She’s well secured and she’s enjoying every second. She looks at the play like she is in the audience herself and watching it for the first time. In between her lines, she likes to look around in the audience. “I wonder how it is for them to see such an immersive show, I’m so grateful for being part of such a project, there are moments when I wish I was in the audience myself,” she thinks to herself while scanning the faces of the people in the standing audience. She loves to observe their reactions to the play. Suddenly her breath catches, she blinks, not believing her eyes. “I think I’m losing my mind, I thought I saw Nikolaj in the audience”. She squeezes her eyes shut then looks away and then refocuses her vision on where she saw that man looking like Nikolaj. The man winks at her. “It is Nikolaj!!!” Her heart starts beating so hard, she thinks she will start flying. Gwendoline smiles back to let Nikolaj know she saw him but then takes a deep breath in and tunes back. She’s listening for her cue to get off the rig. She can’t wait to tell him off for not telling her he will be there this evening. But that will have to wait. She has to give him a big long hug first. 

Gwendoline starts calculating her itinerary through the crowd to go to say hi to Nikolaj. As soon as she’s back on solid ground and she has a few minutes break, she hurries to where Nikolaj was standing. Luckily the lights are focussed on stage and they can’t see where she is heading. Nikolaj has picked an obscure corner of the stage so she walks behind the audience until she reaches him. He had been watching her journey and was facing her with a big smile on her face. As soon as she gets in front of him, she shows him the microphone just to let him know that is was on so she couldn’t say anything to him but she extends her hand. Nikolaj takes her hand and gives it a squeeze. They both smile at each other and Gwen pulls away. She gives Nikolaj a wink and starts walking away, Nikolaj follows her with his eyes and after a few steps, she turns around and smiles again then runs back onto the stage. Every time Gwendoline is in the aerial rig she turns around to where she knows Nikolaj is and smiles at him. “I have never been happier in my life! If I would fall and die right now, I would die with the biggest smile on my face!” Gwendoline thinks.  
“Gwendoline is in the zone, she doesn’t miss any of her cues, she showcases her skills and awes everyone”, Nikolaj observes. "The play is amazing, it’s so funny and clever. This is a great way to get youngsters into Shakespeare. Love on Top? Beyonce with Shakespeare? They are crazy!!! This is funtastic!!” Nikolaj cannot stop laughing and he’s still laughing and doesn’t even notice when Gwendoline grabs his hand and pulls him behind the stage as soon as the interval starts. 

“You!!! I can’t believe it you’re here! And you didn’t tell me!” Gwendoline hugs Nikolaj. “Wait a minute! “Hope your evening is full of pleasant surprises”… you meant you!!” Gwendoline says in a mocking tone and gently slaps Nikolaj on the shoulder.  
“Well, it is a pleasant surprise isn’t it?”  
“You’ve just made my day perfect! Thank you for being here!” and she kisses him on the cheek.  
“I’m very happy to be here. This is amazing! I’m very proud of you”  
“Niiiiik”, Gwendoline slaps Nik’s arm.  
Nikolaj starts laughing. “I truly am!” he says with a shrug of his shoulders “Would you rather I lie?”  
“I’ll come find you at the end! Don’t move!” Gwendoline places another red kiss on his cheek and rushes off in a storm of green satin. Nikolaj reaches for his cheek and keeps his fingers there for a little while before rubbing it to wipe off the lipstick.

Nikolaj follows the play with interest but Gwendoline draws his attention each time she is on stage, he hides out of sight briefly just as long to dodge the camera a few times but remains in the same spot so Gwendoline can easily find him when she looks at him from her vantage point in the rig. “The second act is just as entertaining as the first act. Gwendoline continues to stun everyone, Puck is incredible too. This is an amazing production. The Oberon guy is ok, I guess. I could play Oberon. I’d get to dance with Gwendoline on stage. She looks so happy! I wish I was there with her dancing on stage. Maybe we can do a play together at some point!” Nikolaj is deep in thought and before even realising it, the play is over, the cast takes their bows and then starts dancing, the audience joins them. Gwendoline dances in the middle of the cast for a very short time, a few seconds maybe, she even jumps a few times and then disappears into the crowd to find Nikolaj. It doesn’t take her long to find him, he was exactly where she had left him so she grabs his hand and guides him behind stage to her dressing room.

**Author's Note:**

> 2 things sparked my imagination:
> 
> There was a man in a white Tshirt who was hiding when the camera was pointed his way. He was too far to be able to see his face.
> 
> At the end of the play, Gwendoline did run off stage before any of the other cast members.


End file.
